September1 Irish Music & 2013 Meán Fómhair Dance Association 31th Year, Issue No. 9

The mission of the Irish Music and Dance Association is to support, coordinate, encourage and promote high quality activities and programs in Irish music, dance, and other cultural traditions within the community and to insure the continuation of those traditions. Mike Wallace Receives Irish Fair’s Inside this issue: 2013 Curtin-Conway Award Tune of the Month 2 Gaelic Corner 3 The Curtin-Conway Award honors Leah Curtin and Roger Conway, two of the IMDA Grant Winner 4 original organizers of the festival. The honor is presented annually to someone who September Calendar 8-9 has a long history of service or support to the Irish cultural community in the Twin Cities and/or Minnesota. The award includes a $1,000 donation by the Irish Fair to Northwoods Songs 10 the Irish cultural charity of the recipient's choice and the name of the honoree is Ceili Corner 14 placed on a plaque that is on public display at Irish On Grand. Smidirini 15 This year the Irish Fair surprised Mike Wallace before his performance on the Main Stage, and presented him with the 2013 Curtin-Conway award. In fact, he was so busy getting ready to play that he didn’t hear the announcement. Mike, a native of County Limerick, moved to Saint Paul in the mid 70’s after his band, The Irish Brigade, was invited to play a show by the Irish community. The show was a success, and after being invited back again, Mike decided to make this area his permanent home. In the mid 80’s he teamed up with two other local musicians to create The Old Triangle. Mike reformed the Irish Brigade in 1988, and has been playing alongside musician Joe Smith since 2007. Throughout the years, Mike has played a very key role in the growth of Irish music not only in the Twin Cities area, but across America. He has been instrumental in introducing many new Irish performers to his American audiences.

Save the date: November 16th

Join us in celebrating the lifelong community contributions of local musician and song-man Tom Dahill

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The IMDA Board is : une of he onh by Amy Shaw President: Lisa Conway Vice President: Jan Casey The first wave of Irish immigration to America happened well before the Treasurer: Mark Malone Famine years. At least 200,000 Irish were here by the time of the American Secretary: Juli Acton Revolution. Among the first to arrive were Scots-Irish fleeing high rents Board Members: John Concannon Paul McCluskey and religious discrimination in Ulster. Many of them settled in the Joan Portel Appalachians, where their music eventually evolved into Appalachian old- Kathie Luby time music. Old-time music has in turn influenced Irish traditional music, Editor: John Burns with a few old-time tunes creeping into some recent recordings by Sliabh IMDA Board Meetings are open to the membership. Notes, Green Fields of America, the Brock McGuire Band, uilleann piper The Board meets regularly on the First Tuesday of each Jerry O’Sullivan, and others. month at 6:30 pm at the Dubliner Pub in St. Paul. Members are encouraged to verify the time and location shortly before, as meet- This month’s tune comes from the old-time music of eastern Kentucky. ing times and locations can change. Charlie Heymann has been playing it lately at the Keegan’s sessions, and he kindly shared the tune and the remarkable story behind it. As the story goes, Contact Information in 1847 in Adair County, Kentucky, a fiddler named Joe Coleman was Write to: Irish Music and Dance Association convicted of murdering his wife. Although he maintained his innocence, he 236 Norfolk Ave NW was sentenced to death by hanging. He rode to the gallows in an ox cart, Elk River, MN 55330 sitting on his coffin, meanwhile playing a mournful tune on his fiddle that Call: 612-990-3122 came to be known as Coleman’s March. One scholar suggests the march E-mail: [email protected] was a reworking of an older tune called The Irish Jaunting Car; others see no connection with that tune. However, at the beginning of the Civil War, a Newsletter Submissions We welcome our readers to submit articles of interest, jiggy version of Coleman’s March was set to lyrics and became the popular news, and notices of events to be published in the newsletter. The deadline is the Confederate song, “The Bonnie Blue Flag.” 20th of the preceding month. Send to: But you can’t keep a good fiddler down. According to the story, after [email protected] the hanging Joe Coleman was secretly carried off by some of his kinfolk, who managed to revive him. After recovering, he headed west on a steamboat, and that’s the last we know of him. It seems maybe he really was innocent, since there is an account of a woman confessing to the murder on her deathbed many years later.

Coleman’s March is still played in old-time circles, one of the rare dirge-like tunes in their repertoire.

Usual disclaimers: Any transcription errors are my own. The notation here is not meant to be a substitute for listening. It is simply an aid to learning the tune.

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he aelic orner By Will Kenny In these northern climes, we certainly notice the As the days continue to shorten and cool, we'll not only shortening of the days by this time of year. Even as early drift into Deireadh Fómhair (October), the end of autumn. as mid-August, when we all assemble for the Irish Fair, We'll come to the end of the Celtic year. October 31 is the you can see the change. And as the Celtic countries are to eve of Samhain, or Oíche Shamhna in Irish -- known as a large extent even farther north than we are, the Celtic Halloween here. The next day, calendar picks up the shift into November 1, is the first day of the new autumn a little earlier than you year. might be used to. That's the beginning of winter. But we Fómhar is the Irish word for usually aren't completely done with "autumn" or "fall." But warm weather. Sometime after we've September, when we think of autumn as beginning here, had some frost, we will see those glorious warm days we is known as Meán Fómhair in Irish, that is, "mid- call Indian summer. In Irish, that return of warm weather autumn." And October, the heart of autumn in these parts, is known as samhradh beag na ngéanna, "the little is Deireadh Fómhair , "the end of autumn," in Irish. summer of the geese." It refers to a time after the growing season, when geese were let into the fields to feed upon At one time the word Meitheamh could have replaced the stubble that was left. that Meán to produce Meitheamh an Fhómhair for "September." Meitheamh refers to the middle month of a And as it turns out, another phrase for "harvest moon" is season. But it has come to be used fairly exclusively to gealach na gcoinleach, "the moon of the stubble." mean "June," the middle month of Celtic Summer (Meitheamh an tSamhraidh ). People can have their Indian summer, too. When that "little summer of the geese" is applied to a person -- Tá Celtic autumn begins on August 1, in fact, a day that is samhradh beag na ngéanna aici -- we might mean that she associated with the god Lugh. Thus the name for that first is doing well and enjoying herself in her older years. month of autumn, Lúnasa. As you would expect, autumn is the harvest season, so our "autumn" word, fómhar , is We appreciate all the work our hearty volunteers did at the also used for "harvest." The gealach an fhómair is the Irish Fair to answer questions, explain phrases, and to "harvest moon," as we call it. But "harvest" can be used hand out hundreds and hundreds of name tags to kids in a broader sense, for example, fómhair na farraige, "the young and old. Now we're gearing up for our autumn class harvest of the sea," or the fishing catch. schedule, when we hope to harvest some of the results of hard study. For more about what Gaeltacht Minnesota Harvest is a prosperous time, of course. When we say to does, visit our web site at www.gaelminn.org . someone, Is é do lá fómhair é, we're saying, "It is your day of harvest," that is, "This is your lucky day." Ní hiad na fir mhóra a bhainneann an fómhar It is not the big men who reap the harvest, or Harvest is also a very busy time. So when the fómhar is Strength isn't everything "on" you -- Tá an fómhar ort -- it means you are rushing -- around like crazy trying to get all your work done. Will

At any rate, by now the Irish would be plenty ready to say, Téann na laethanta i ngiorracht, "the days go into shortness," literally. Add to that the stretch of cool weather we had for a while, and you could say Tá na céadchosúlachtái an fhómhair ann, "the first appearances of autumn are there."

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Willie Clancy Festival Intrigues Aspiring Fiddler By Jan Casey

Fiddler Ingrid Jans received an IMDA Educational Grant to help her attend the Willie Clancy Festival in Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare, Ireland this recent July. Ingrid has long been interested in Irish music, fueled by listening the NPR’s “Thistle and Shamrock” as a child and studying violin growing up. Ingrid joined an Irish band when she came to Macalester College as a student. She tells us that in the process, she “discovered a fantastic community of Irish musicians” here in the Twin Cities. She “finds it exciting to be part of a community that not only boasts some of the best Irish musicians in the world, but also welcomes and encourages its younger and newer members.” She enjoys returning to Macalester to play with the next generation of Irish musicians (she graduated from Mac last year.) Ingrid plays fiddle and bodhrán with the Herringbone Badgers , a folk trio that plays Irish and Scottish music and is a regular at music sessions here in town. Ingrid also plays fiddle with Paddy O’Brien’s O’Rourke’s Feast . Ingrid has been greatly influenced by playing with Paddy. As Ingrid tells it, it’s a huge honor to play with Paddy. Ingrid says “his style of playing, his unique tune arrangements, and his infectious love of the music make playing tunes with him a joy. I find myself approaching the music differently . . . and appreciating new subtleties in the tunes. His deep understanding, not only of the notes, but also of the music’s origins inspires me to learn more about the roots of this music.” Ingrid applied for an IMDA Educational Grant to further develop her understanding of Irish traditional music by attending the Willie Clancy Festival . According to her fiddle instructors at the Center for Irish Music , Ingrid is an enthusiastic student who “exhibits a great hunger for learning the tradition of Irish music,”, has a great work ethic, “picks up tunes quickly, has a great ear for fundamentals” and is a vital contributor to the Irish music community in the Twin Cities. Ingrid’s teachers emphasized the importance of opportunities like the Willie Clancy Festival in helping fiddle students progress to advanced levels – and felt that Ingrid would take full advantage of this opportunity. Ingrid’s teachers also commented that Ingrid actively works expand interest in traditional music “through her clear desire to learn and help spread the love of Irish music.” The Irish Music and Dance Association is delighted to help this dedicated young musician continue to expand her knowledge of traditional Irish music. And we look forward to hearing her on stage and in sessions and to her contributions to our community for years to come.

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The Willie Clancy Festival 2013 By Ingrid Jans Thanks to the generous support of the Irish Music and Dance Association, I was able to attend the Willie Clancy Summer School in Miltown-Malbay Co. Clare this July. This week-long festival started in 1973 as a summer program for young Irish musicians. It is named for the great Clare piper, Willie Clancy, and it continues to celebrate the memory and music of the great players who hailed from the region including Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, and John Kelly. Today, people come from around the world to take classes with some of the world's greatest musicians. I was fortunate enough to take classes with Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, from whom I learned a number of fantastic tunes. At night, attendees and locals alike would retire to various pubs in and around the town to play music. Often there would be as many as three different sessions in a single pub. I attended many of the recitals throughout the week where I was able to hear some of the worlds best musicians perform. There were also céilís every night, and I was able to hear both the Kilfenora and Tulla céilí bands play. I learned a lot over the course of that busy week, and I am grateful to IMDA for giving me the opportunity to attend. I'm excited to share my experiences and tunes with my fellow musicians in the Twin Cities.

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Paddy O'Brien Tune Collection/Apprenticeship Project Concert

Mark your calendars for Oct. 4 for a rare treat. Paddy O’Brien’s Center for Irish Music Tune Collection Apprentices will perform with O’Rourke’s Feast at the Celtic Junction . The CIM Apprenticeship Project is part of Paddy’s Folk and Traditional Arts grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Paddy has been serving as Artist-in-Residence, working with CIM students teaching some of the rare and unusual settings of tunes he’s collected over the past 60 years and working on interpretation and ensemble playing. This concert is the culmination of the residency project and will be recorded on audio and video, possibly for broadcast. The summer session of Paddy's residency ran from June 30th through August 25 th . The residency was open to students of all ages and recommended for melody players. Paddy began by working on new repertoire, teaching participants some of the rare and unusual settings of tunes that he’s collected over the past 60 years. The residency group also worked on interpretation and ensemble playing, in which Paddy also brought decades of experience, from playing with seminal groups in Ireland like the Castle Ceili Band and Ceoltoiri Laighean. Paddy O’Brien (originally from Co. Offaly) recently received a Folk and Traditional Arts grant from the MN State Arts Board to record another 500 melodies for The Paddy O’Brien Tune Collection. As part of the project, Paddy has been acting Artist-in- Residence at the Center for Irish Music offering free workshops on Sunday afternoons to interested CIM students and teachers.

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Dance Association

Saturday 7 7 Ceili Saturday 2pm First Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Brigade Irish 9:30pm Mpls Pub, Kieran’s O’Brien Patsy 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Conneely & Munnelly Paul St. Junction, Celtic The Eddies The Mpls Market, Mill City Dance Set Night Saturday First Pual St. Junction, Celtic The 14 Road 1pm Locklin Cannon Winery, River Cannon Falls Wallace Mike 3:30pm Wayzata Pub, McCormick’s Eddies The 7:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner patsy & Mancuso Matt 7:30pm O’Brien Paul St. Junction, Celtic The Brigade Irish 9:30pm Stillwater 112, Pub Bhoys Colonial Wild 9:30pm Mpls Pub, Kieran’s

Friday 6 6 Band 8pm Battlefield Mpls Cedar, The Session 8pm Celtic Mpls Rest, Merlins Malloys Tim The 9:30pm Stillwater 112, Pub 13 Wallace Mike 3:30pm Wayzata Pub, McCormick’s Session 8pm Celtic Mpls Rest, Merlins Brigade Irish 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Bhoys Colonial Wild 9:30pm Mpls Pub, Kieran’s

Thursday 5 5 Quiz Pub 6:30pm Quiz Pub 8pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s $ Devlin Scottie 9:30pm Akers Shane Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 12 Quiz Pub 6:30pm Quiz Pub 8pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s $ Devlin Scottie 9:30pm Akers Shane Paul St. Pub, Dubliner

Wednesday 4 4 Session Irish 7pm Traditional Northfield ‘n’ Stein, Rueb Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Dance Social Irish 7:30pm Trio Tap Two 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Irish Traditional 9:30pm Session Mpls Pub, Irish Morrissey’s 11 Session Irish 7pm Traditional Northfield ‘n’ Stein, Rueb Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Dance Social Irish 7:30pm Ginny & Dahill Tom 9:30pm Johnson Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Wild Dubliners, Young 8pm of Hounds Bhoys, Colonial Finn Mpls Pourhouse, The Irish Traditional 9:30pm Session Mpls Pub, Irish Morrissey’s

Tuesday

3 Hour Irish 5:30pm Pub Merlins Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Brigade Irish 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Trio St. Dominic’s Mpls Nye’s, 10 Hour Irish 5:30pm Pub Merlins Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Dancing Set Irish 7:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Trio St. Dominic’s Mpls Nye’s,

Monday IMDA Community Calendar September 2013 2013 September Calendar Community IMDA 2 2 Brigade Irish Fair State Minnesota 9 Monday 2nd 7:30pm Sing Shanty Paul St. Pub, Dubliner

Sunday

www.IMDAwww.IMDA----MN.orgMN.org 1 1 Brigade Irish Fair State Minnesota Session Traditional Noon: Mpls Pub, Kieran’s Session Irish 4pm Learners Music Irish 6pm Advanced Session Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Quiz Pub 8pm Brigade Irish 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 8 Session Traditional Noon: Mpls Pub, Kieran’s Session Irish 4pm Learners Music Irish 6pm Advanced Session Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Quiz Pub 8pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Irish Music & 9 Dance Association 21 21 Locklin Road Noon: Wallace Mike 3:30pm Wayzata Pub, McCormick’s Brigade Irish 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Dance Ceili Night Saturday Third Pual St. Junction, Celtic The 28 Wallace Mike 3:30pm Wayzata Pub, McCormick’s Paddywagon 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Apple Jack Orchard, Delano Delano Orchard, Jack Apple 20 20 Wallace Mike 3:30pm Wayzata Pub, McCormick’s Session 8pm Celtic Mpls Rest, Merlins O’Brien Patsy 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 27 Wallace Mike 3:30pm Wayzata Pub, McCormick’s Session 8pm Celtic Mpls Rest, Merlins Finn of Hounds 9:30pm Mpls Pub, Irish Morrissey’s Brigade Irish 9:30pm Stillwater 112, Pub 19 19 Quiz Pub 6:30pm Quiz Pub 8pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s $ Devlin Scottie 9:30pm Akers Shane Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 26 Quiz Pub 6:30pm Quiz Pub 8pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s & Devlin Scottie 9:30pm Akers Shane Paul St. Pub, Dubliner

18 18 Session Irish 7pm Traditional Northfield ‘n’ Stein, Rueb Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Dance Social Irish 7:30pm Brigade Irish 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Pub, Kieran’s Irish Traditional 9:30pm Session Mpls Pub, Irish Morrissey’s 25 Session Irish 7pm Traditional Northfield ‘n’ Stein, Rueb Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Dance Social Irish 7:30pm Trio Tap Two 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Irish Traditional 9:30pm Session Mpls Pub, Irish Morrissey’s O’Brien Patsy 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 17 17 Hour Irish 5:30pm Pub Merlins Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Colonial 8pm Wild Bhoys Stillwater 112, Pub Trio St. Dominic’s Mpls Nye’s, 24 Hour Irish 5:30pm Pub Merlins Set Irish 7:30pm Dancing Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Malloys Tim The 9:pm Paul St. Amsterdam, The Trio St. Dominic’s Mpls Nye’s, 16 16 23 Pub Monday 4th 7pm Singing Mpls Rest, Merlins 30

www.IMDAwww.IMDA----MN.orgMN.org The Celtic Junction, St. Paul Paul St. Junction, Celtic The Sing Pub Sunday 2pm Third Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Quiz Pub 8pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 15 15 Session Traditional Noon: Mpls Pub, Kieran’s Session Irish 4pm Learners Music Irish 6pm Advanced Session Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Romantic Yeats: 6pm Revolutionary 22 Locklin Road Noon: Session Traditional Noon: Mpls Pub, Kieran’s Session Irish 4pm Learners Music Irish 6pm Advanced Session Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Quiz Pub 8pm O’Brien Patsy 9:30pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner 29 Session Traditional Noon: Mpls Pub, Kieran’s Session Irish 4pm Learners Music Irish 6pm Advanced Session Mpls Pub, Keegan’s Quiz Pub 7:30pm Mpls Rest, Merlins Quiz Pub 8pm Paul St. Pub, Dubliner Apple Jack Orchard, Delano Delano Orchard, Jack Apple Irish Music & 10 Dance Association

Northwoods Songs: Irish Songs from Lumberjacks and Great Lakes Sailors By Brian Miller

My research has been primarily in songs that were collected from men (and some women) who lived in the white pine region that stretched from New Brunswick, Canada west through northern Minnesota/northern Ontario. There was a whole culture of singing in lumber camps and on Great Lakes ships throughout the 1800s that was hugely influenced by the Irish ballad tradition and celebrated much of the Irish ballad repertoire while also adding new North American songs based on the old ones. Lots of the singers were Irish too. In the Midwest it was mainly second-generation guys - children of famine immigrants in many cases. That's the stuff I plan on drawing on for the series. And there's a lot of it! Once you include Wisconsin, Ontario, Michigan, Upstate New York, Maine and New Brunswick there are piles of great songs out there.

THE LASS OF DUNMORE

As I went a-walking one morning, I raised up on my feet for to view her, Bright Phoebus so clearly did shine, And those tender words I did say, And the meadow larks warbled melodious, “Who are you, my fairest of creatures? While the rose in the valleys did twine; How far through this grove do you stray?” It was down by a grove where I wandered, She answered, “Kind sir, I will tell you, A while to repose in the shade, And the truth unto you I deplore, On my destiny there for to ponder, It’s a matter that’s lately befell me, It was there I beheld a fair maid. My dwelling place is down in Dunmore.

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“Oh, once I did love a bold seaman, “Oh, how could I be so unfaithful And he, too my fond heart had gained, To a heart that is constant and true, No mortal on earth could love dearer, To leave my own father’s dwelling But now he is crossing the main, And to venture my fortunes with you? With Nelson, that hero of battle, Oh, the people would call me unconstant, In the English navy so brave, For it’s truly to him I am swore, Where cannons and guns loud do rattle, And true lovers ne’er should be parted, For to fight the proud French on the wave.” I’ll wait for that lad in Dunmore.”

“Then perhaps that your true love is drowned, Then says I, “My fair, tender blossom, And he ne’er will return home again, The spring time of life soon will be o’er, For many a man has fallen a victim And the October leaves will be falling, With Nelson while crossing the main; They will fade the fair Rose of Dunmore.” And the same thing might happen to your love, When I found that her heart was a-yielding, As it’s happened to others before, Like I’ve found it with others before, So it’s come with me now, I pray, darling. Oh, I packed up my all for Renfralen, And leave the dark shades of Dunmore.” And I stole the fair Rose of Dunmore.

Folksong collector and scholar Franz Rickaby hunted for songs in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan from 1919 to 1923. Most of his informants were retired lumberjacks, or “shanty-boys,” and Rickaby took interest in how and where they learned their songs. He was also quite interested in the origins of the songs themselves. Most that were written about life in the northwoods were based on older traditional songs and Rickaby concluded, more specifically, that “the Irish street-song was the pattern upon which a liberal portion of the shanty-songs were made.” * In the notes to his Ballads and Songs of the Shanty-Boy , Rickaby points out several “parent” songs that served as models for songs made up by lumbermen. One such parent song is “The Lass of Dunmore.” Rickaby cites it as the model for “The Banks of the Little Eau Pleine” which was authored by Wausau, Wisconsin timber cruiser W.N. “Billy” Allen about the drowning of a raftsman in the Wisconsin Dells. Rickaby made the connection based on a version of the text of “The Lass of Dunmore” printed by Minnesota singer Mike Dean in his songster The Flying Cloud . No melody was ever collected from Dean for “The Lass of Dunmore” but the text does resemble that of the “Little Eau Pleine” and it turns out that the only other version of “The Lass of Dunmore” I know of was collected in Allen’s home province of New Brunswick in the 1960s. Amazingly, it shares its melody with versions of “Little Eau Pleine” collected by Rickaby from both Dean and Ed Springstad of Bemidji. Here I have married Dean’s text for “The Lass of Dunmore” with his melody used for “The Banks of the Little Auplaine” as recorded by Robert Winslow Gordon in 1924 from Dean’s singing.

*Rickaby, Franz Lee. Ballads and Songs of the Shanty Boy . 1926:xxv

You can read Northwoods Songs online at www.evergreentrad.com/ northwoods-songs

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2013 Minnesota Feis on September 28 th

Be a part of our 13th annual Minnesota Feis! Mark us on your calendar, think about volunteering and have a great year of dancing leading up to the 2013 Minnesota Feis on Saturday, September 28!

The Minnesota Feis, Inc., presents an exciting major Twin Cities’ event that promotes Irish culture as well as an activity that encourages a healthy alternative for youth. There is an Irish saying about “dancing at the crossroads” where families would meet at a major road intersection, pull out their instruments, and get their feet stepping for an evening of Celtic dance and music. While not as impromptu as it was in earlier days, in many ways The Minnesota Feis continues the tradition of bringing together youth and families from across many miles to be actively involved in the Irish culture.

A “feis” is an Irish dance, music and arts competition where amateur competitors compete both individually and in small teams before national and international adjudicators. The judges then score the competitors in various competition categories based on their age and proficiency and provide them feedback that will help them grow in their skills. The dancers and musicians range in age from five years-old to adult. Their skills range from “first feis” beginners to championship level. The event is open to the public to enjoy the day watching the dancing, listening to the music and shopping at a great array of vendors.

It is no secret that putting on a large , public event depends on a large number of people willing to step up, join in, and help out! The success of the Minnesota Feis comes about year after year because of our amazing volunteers. This group comes together from the many different Irish dance schools in our community and we would love to have you join us in 2013! We have many different roles, year round, in the lead up, set up and on the day of the event. Signing up to help is underway and can all be done online. Please go to: mysignup.com/mnfeis to sign up. Thank you for sharing your time and energy with the Minnesota Feis; there is something for everyone!

The Minnesota Feis Inc. is a volunteer organization and is totally independent from any dance school. The funds to pay for the feis are generated through competitor fees, our continuing fundraising, and organization donations. Donations are a huge part of being able to put on an event of this size! As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, donations to The Minnesota Feis Inc. are tax deductible and we welcome your support and contributions.

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An Leabhragán

(The Bookcase)

Transatlantic by Colum McCann Random House 2013

Colum McCann's new novel, Transatlantic , jumps into action from page one with a thrilling account of the first two-man transatlantic flight, made in 1919 from Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland. The crossing was made in converted Vickers Vimy World War I bomber; two war pilots, Alcock and Brown, made history in the 17 hours it took to fly over the sea (their feat was overshadowed nine years later by the solo flight of a certain Minnesota na tive we all know). Alcock and Brown reinvented themselves as well as their plane, and ushered in a new age of flight and daring. This, really, is the theme throughout the book: transformation by crossing a vast ocean, by ship or by plane; changes both in the interior private lives of ordinary (and famous) people, as well as important historical changes on a global scale. McCann deftly weaves the lives and times of a dozen or more characters, jumping back and forth in time in no particular chronological order. After the plane flight, we get Frederick Douglass, the famous black abolitionist, on a fundraising tour in Ireland circa 1845. His experience with white Irish poverty and starvation viewed firsthand makes the great champion of human rights realize that misery is an enslavement of another kind, irrespective of race. Transatlantic weaves stories of mostly real people (Clinton's negotiator George Mitchell, who brokered the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland, is still alive today) with some fictional characters, providing personal perspective and dimension to world events. Both real and fictitious characters speak with emotional authenticity and color. Whether describing a nurse in the American Civil War, a young Irish servant girl's exper ience on a coffin ship to America, violence in a small Northern Irish hamlet in 1978, the chronicles of an intrepid but isolated woman journalist in the 1920s, or lake ice harvesting at the turn of the last century, the voices of Colum McCann's characters ring clear and true. It is a sweeping achievement, a panoramic view of a century and a half, from both sides of a great ocean. All journeys, no matter how they are made, make their first jump in the realm of human imagination. Enjoy the ride; Colum McCann is a great navigator.

Sherry Ladig, frequent contributor to this column, is a Saint Paul based trad Irish musician and a former reviewer for the Hungry Mind Bookstore's newsletter, Fodder. Sherry welcomes suggestions for new books for her to review---or write a review yourself! She may be reached at [email protected] . Happy literary journeys!

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eili orner By Bhloscaidh O’Keane First Saturday Afternoon Céilí - Dubliner Pub, 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul, from 2:00 to 5:00. The suggested donation is $2.00 per person. The dances are taught and called by Paul McCluskey. First Saturday Night Set Dancing Céilí - The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave., No, St. Paul. Third Saturday Night Céilí - The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave., No, St. Paul. Irish Dance Classes: Céilí Dancing - Wednesday Nights Dubliner Irish Pub - 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul. Learn Irish dancing in a genuine Irish pub with a wooden floor that has known a whole lot of dancing feet. Steps and dances are taught by Paul McCluskey, Súin Swann, and Kirsten Koehler. Basic beginning steps are taught beginning at 7:30, with advanced lessons and dancing continuing until 9:30 PM. Year-round; no children, and must be of legal drinking age. Free. Set Dancing - Tuesday Nights Dubliner Irish Pub - 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul. Set Dancing at 7:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month, music by the Twin Cities Ceili Band. The cost is $5 for the band, beginners welcome, for more information call Geri at the Dubliner (651)646-5551.

Check www.lomamor.org for all up-to-date Irish folk dancing information.

The Center for Irish Music

Come check us out at The Celtic Junction 836 Prior Avenue, St Paul MN

Please check the website for information on our full range of instruction in traditional Irish music, language , culture and fun.

For class schedule and other information call or email 651-815-0083 [email protected]

Or visit our website

www.centerforirishmusic.org

Dedicated to Handing Down the Tradition www.IMDAwww.IMDA----MN.orgMN.org Irish Music & 15 Dance Association

Smidirini* By Copper Shannon (*Irish for ‘Bits and Pieces’)

♣ Comhghairdeas le (Congratulations to) student musicians Emilano Morales, Fiona McKenna, and Maia Crews -Erjavec from our own Center for Irish Music who completed recently in the All-Ireland Fleadh in Derry City, Northern Ireland. Congratulations on qualifying and for being the first CIM students to make the big trip to Ireland.

♣ Comhghairdeas le (Congratulations to) Tom Dahill , selected for IMDA Honors in 2013. Mark your calendar for a festive evening honoring the song man and local legend on Saturday, November 16 at the Celtic Junction. Look for details in future IMDA newsletters!

♣ The festival season isn’t over yet! The Two Tap Trio and Rince na Chroi will appear at the NEW Irish Fest of Central Wisconsin in Weston, Wisconsin on Sept. 7. The Hounds of Finn will be at the Indy Irish Festival in Indianapolis Sept. 12 – 15. The Northeast South Dakota Celtic Faire and Games in Aberdeen, SD Sept. 21 and 22 will feature a host of our local talent: The Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band, Rince na Chroi, The Tim Malloys, and Two Tap Trio! St. Paul Irish Dancers and Green Fire Irish Dancers will perform as part of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival’s Shamrocks and Shenanigans Weekend , Sept. 28 & - 29. And the Langer’s Ball will be making their way to Weston, Missouri for the Weston Irish Festival the weekend of Oct. 11 – 13. Happy trails to everyone!

♣ Best wishes to Dáithí Sproule , who’ll be doing a bit of touring this fall. He’s off to Germany with Altan, to West Virginia and Quebec with Liz Carroll and on to the Atlanta Irish Fest for a rare reunion of Trian with Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey. And Dáithí is off across the pond to do a program with the BBC on the song tradition. Brilliant!

IMDA Membership Want to know what’s going on in the local Irish scene? Interested in music, dance, theatre and culture? Be the first on your block to subscribe to the IMDA Newsletter. It’s a mere $20 for an annual individual membership and $25 for a family membership. Sign up yourself or sign up a friend, but whatever you do, support your local artists!

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